Two Sony VAIO SZ Notebooks with Intel Core Duo Inside. Page 4

Today we are going to look at two Sony VAIO models from the SZ series: VAIO VGN-SZ1HRP/B and VAIO VGN-SZ1XRP/C, which have come as a replacement to the older S series. These two models resemble one another visually, but there is a price difference of almost $500 US between them. In this review we are going to find out how the similar appearance conceals great differences in the “tempers” of these two notebooks.

I measured the brightness and contrast of the displays using a Pantone ColorVision Spyder with OptiCAL version 3.7.8 software. I selected the maximum brightness setting and launched the test, but the display parameters changed when I switched to the notebooks’ batteries. I performed the test with both graphics cores of each notebook:

Sony VAIO VGN-SZ1HRP/B:

Intel GMA 950

AC power source: 116.9cd/sq.m brightness, 248:1 contrast ratio

DC power source: 96.7cd/sq.m brightness, 230:1 contrast ratio

Nvidia GeForce Go 7400

AC power source: 117.6cd/sq.m brightness, 196:1 contrast ratio

DC power source: 116.4cd/sq.m brightness, 228:1 contrast ratio

Sony VAIO VGN-SZ1XRP/C:

Intel GMA 950

AC power source: 130.4cd/sq.m brightness, 184:1 contrast ratio

DC power source: 112.3cd/sq.m brightness, 193:1 contrast ratio

Nvidia GeForce Go 7400

AC power source: 130.8cd/sq.m brightness, 177:1 contrast ratio

DC power source: 112.2cd/sq.m brightness, 190:1 contrast ratio

I wouldn’t say the notebooks offer an abundance of interfaces and ports, but you do have everything necessary here.

The left panel of each of the reviewed models has the following connectors (from left to right):

The right panels of the notebooks are identical, too. They offer you the following:

Sony VAIO VGN-SZ1HRP/B

Sony VAIO VGN-SZ1XRP/C

Optical drive with an activity indicator, an eject button and an emergency ejection hole

ExpressCard/34 slot with a plastic cover

Two USB 2.0 ports

LAN port (RJ-45)

Modem port (RJ-11)

The LAN and modem ports are hidden under a plastic cover.

The disc eject button is small and hard to find by touch. Besides that, the engineers wanted to make as thin a notebook as possible while gravity pulls the disc tray down: when it is fully out, it touches the surface the notebook is standing on, which is not good.